1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an examination information management apparatus for supporting doctors to determine examination contents to be performed on patients.
2. Description of a Related Art
Recent years, various medical imaging apparatuses for CR (computed radiography), MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), CT (computed tomography), and US (ultrasonic imaging) have been widespread and used.
Generally, when an examination using a medical imaging apparatus is performed, image interpretation is performed on imaged medical images by an image interpretation doctor and an image interpretation report containing an interpretation result and findings is created before a specific diagnosis is made by a doctor in charge who requests the examination (also referred to as “client doctor”). Conventionally, even if digital image data is generated, medical images printed on photographic films have been used at the time of image interpretation. On the other hand, medical images displayed on monitors have been also used for image interpretation with the development of high-definition image monitors (viewers).
Since many medical imaging apparatuses are available as described above and the range of choices of examinations becomes wider, selection of examinations becomes difficult for doctors. Thus, it would be convenient for doctors at the time of selection of examinations to refer to information as guidelines for selection of examinations based on past examination records.
Japanese Patent Application Publication JP-P2003-281273A discloses a clinical examination system including a symptom entry unit to be used for entering symptoms of patients, a storage unit for storing relationships between symptoms and examination items, and an examination item candidate display unit for displaying examination item candidates selected from symptom information entered in the symptom entry unit based on the relationships between symptoms and examination items stored in the storage unit, and characterized in that the respective examination items are related to symptoms with necessity and stored with respect to the relationships between symptoms and examination items stored in the storage unit.
According to the clinical examination system, examination items can be automatically extracted based on symptoms of patients. However, the results of examinations that have been actually performed by using the clinical examination system can not be reflected in the relationships between symptoms and examination items stored in the storage unit, and therefore, experiences of separate client doctors and image interpretation doctors can not be accumulated. Further, it is conceivable that, some time during the use of the clinical examination system, the existence of an ineffective or improper relationship is found among the relationships between symptoms and examination items stored in the storage unit. In such a case, it is troublesome for an operator to surely delete the ineffective or improper relationship from the storage unit.
Further, Japanese Patent Application Publication JP-A-5-282384 discloses an examination item entry apparatus including storage means that have stored necessary combinations of plural examination items for each symptom, display means for displaying plural symptom names, and selecting means for selecting one of the displayed plural symptom names, and characterized in that plural examination items to be performed for the selected symptoms are loaded from the storage means and displayed on the display means in response to the selection.
According to the examination item entry apparatus, proper examination items for symptoms and disorders of patients can be easily entered. However, the results of examinations that have been actually performed by using the examination item entry apparatus can not be reflected in the necessary combinations of plural examination items for each symptom stored in the storage means, and therefore, experiences and knowledge obtained with respect to facilities in use of separate client doctors and image interpretation doctors can not be accumulated.